Things to Consider When Buying an Evaporative Cooler

Living in Arizona, you’ve probably heard talk of evaporative coolers in the past. These systems—also called swamp coolers—offer a unique advantage to residents of Arizona because they not only offer cooling capabilities, but also the ability to humidify the air. This is a two-pronged solution to a dual-threat problem presented by the region’s hot, dry climate.

If you’re thinking about making an investment in a swamp cooler, it’s important to do a little research before simply diving in. While it’s true these units work the same, not all evaporative coolers in Maricopa County, AZ are created equal. Your choice needs to be tailored to your home, or you may find that it doesn’t live up to your expectations.

Factors to consider

Like any HVAC product, your choice of evaporative cooler is going to be governed by a few core factors. Above all, you’ll need to keep these four things in mind:

• Will your new evaporative cooling unit be more efficient than your current AC unit?
• What is the size of your home (or room) and what size evaporative cooler will you need to satisfy that square footage?
• What style of swamp cooler will you need to best address your home and keep energy costs low?
• What kind of maintenance will your evaporative cooling unit need, and how does that impact its performance and lifespan?

These are questions you may be able to answer on your own via research, but the easiest thing to do is to consult with an HVAC professional. Not only will they be able to definitively answer these questions, they’ll be able to narrow your scope of options to only systems that will meet your needs.

Answering questions

To get you started in the right direction, let’s answer some of the above questions in a more general sense.

For starters, look at your current AC unit. How long have you had it? What does it cost you to cool your home each month? How many years are left in your AC system? Pair these up with the cost of evaporative coolers in Maricopa County, AZ, the cost of ownership and the expected efficiency. This will give you an indication of whether or not you should be replacing an existing cooling unit with a swamp cooler.

Next, look at units that pair up with your home’s square footage. Many manufacturers will list the ideal square footage for each size unit they offer. This will help you make sure you’re not buying a cooler that’s too large (costly) or too small (inefficient).

From there, examine swamp cooling options. Portable and window-mounted units are what you’re going to be looking at here. Determine what your need might be for these two types and narrow it down from there.

Finally, understand the maintenance requirements of a swamp cooler. How often will you need to change pads? What kind of routine maintenance is needed for blowers? How much are parts and service calls? Understanding the cost of ownership by way of routine service will help you make a sound decision about what type of unit to buy.

Again, all of this becomes easier with an HVAC contractor advising you. Set up a consultation appointment and have your questions ready—an evaporative cooling expert at Premier Industries Inc. will be happy to help!

Categorised in: Evaporative Cooling

This post was written by Mike Nicolini